I think I'm ready now :)

The armwarmers are finished in time for the snow that is predicted tonight...I am trying not to get my hopes up that it will be a pretty snow that will stick around a while. Instead I think a slippery wet snow will come which will undeniably cause havoc in our snow novice DC/VA streets.

I knit the right warmer tightly and the fit was a tad better; I am slowly learning the art of being patient to knit in guage. At times I get distracted and I find myself knitting too loosly, and with the left warmer I can even tell where in the knitting my mind wandered.

I've become a bit of a winter hermit these days, under the covers in my PJs, sipping coffee and reading magazines and craft books. I love winter for this reason; the cold and cozy weather gives me the opportunity to reflect on the things I love, and to plan the grand projects I want to do for the Spring.

I love our home. It is cozy and definitely speaks of what our family is: simple, minimalist, natural, uncluttered. It calms me, and I can dream in it. We move around so often that I have an indescribable relationship with the home as a structure. Though we settle in quickly, love and use the spaces we have lived in, we are almost intent on not identifying the structure itself as "home". Is that funny? We almost have a disconnection from the things we have purchased. With each move (4 times to other states/countries), we have always said, "well, if it get's damaged, it's just stuff right?" I feel that our family union is what makes home, and it can be anywhere.


Speaking of unions, the anniversary quilt is coming along...I am now starting the tedious hand applique of the flowers and leaves. Heaven help me, this will take me a while and I hope to do a little each day. The celebration is in March, do you think I can make it?

The buttons are for the center of the flowers...

And while I should have been doing my end of year inventory...(fabric anyone?) ... I spent my time winding some Inca Organic Yarn for a Magic Yarn Ball Swap on Sewingmamas. So, for my coffee loving, purple coveting and bead hoarding mama, I wound:

Into this:

...though I have to admit that I added more than I originally planned. I had some ribbon and fabric that I just find darling that I thought she would love too. After all, who doesn't love more fabric and ribbon, even if it's just to unwrap?

Pigtails!

A few days ago, Davina posted a picture of her sweetie dd with pigtails. Our girls are about the same age...and I just was so impressed that her dd kept the pigtails long enough to take pictures. Rafaella doesn't like anything on her head, even that so loved knitted hat I posted a little while ago.

I couldn't get over how cute pigtails were, so yesterday I hunted down Rafaella with 2 tiny hair bands and ever so stealthfully banded her hair. I gave her everythng from my keys to my wallet to distract her, and after about the 4th time, I was able to band both sides of her head.

I sat her down and gave her this piggy bank to kiss while I took a picture. Imagine me saying, "look! kiss! kiss! puuuppy? puuuuppy kiss? kiss? kiss the puppy!"

Mama=Spaz

On the sewing front, I was working on a quilt for an anniversary present that just wasn't making me smile. I just wasn't feeling it....it was a basic rail fence pattern, which would have turned out nicely I'm sure, but I couldn't get myself to finish it.

So, I put it away.

I found a free wall quilt pattern of simple hand applique'd flowers and leaves. I started cutting into the shapes yesterday. It will be a miniature quilt, the flowers seen here are about 2 inches wide, but I'm really enjoying it thus far...hopefully I will have most of it pieced by the end of next week.

And yes, this present is late.

*ducking*

My skeletons that were in the closet

are now out!

Halloween gets better and better every year.

We ventured in our town home neighborhood and the kids took home almost half a pillowcase EACH. Cooper was dragging his pillowcase by the time we turned the corner to come home.

Our neighborhood is hands down one of the best there is in this area. Wonderfully festive with lots of families.

This years costumes were really a breeze...I already had patterns from Ottobre for jammies for all three sizes and I had some polyester knit from last year's batman costumes, so the boys had theirs in a jiffy. I used purple cotton knit for Rafaella, it was so thick - almost sweatshirt thick, perfect for the weather.

The bones were applique using some white fleece I had stashed away.



Do you see the expressions on their faces? Totally classic for each of their personlities.

I couldn't help but get one of the baby



Off to somehow stash away the evil sugar that is now in my house! I am tempted by the SECOND!

Weddings

They always make me cry somehow.

One of my girlfriends, M, got married this weekend. She has one of those relaxing easy personalities, and we have managed to remain friends despite the distance that 8 years of Army miles has provided us. She and I finally live in the same city :)

Her wedding to J allowed for me to meet up with one of my best friends, K, and she and I promptly began our giggling and joking and commenting. It was as if we were back in college again. Her poor husband, he had to endure her growling stomach during the ceremony and our minutes of our subsequent stiffled giggles.

Her wedding was a good excuse for me to get re-acquainted with quilting. So, I a made a lap blanket for M & J. Hopefully it will cover their laps and legs as they watch TV or read books.



up close:


Doing this size of quilt also gave me quilt-sewing-machine-lust. I had a darn of a time rolling and shoving this baby in the little space my Viking had for me.

Don't tell Greg that though (wink).

Sewing comes in handy...

for birthday parties. Especially little girls' birthdays. This is what I have concluded.

I have been privy to attend numerous birthdays last year and will most likely attend many this year, now that both Greggy and Cooper in school. They are always so fun and crazy. Very noisy! Chaotic. And exhausting.

But I look forward to the cake and the gift opening. Most especially at little girls' parties...because I am a crafting freak and am looking forward to her opening her present from Greggy (doh - I mean me).

This weekend was another opportunity for me to dive into my pile of pinks :)



The shirt is made of a pink interlock, and after putting it together I embroidered her initial on the front. Pants are a stretch twill.

Ms. M loved it, and so did her Mama. Which makes me happy...and I am grateful that there is another little one possibly wearing something I have made :)

Just stocked....

...at the Shop

I thought it be appropriate for the season coming ;)





(can be used as reusable trick or treat bags ;) )



Waterproof bags :)

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Inspiration, move me brightly...

...because somedays, like today...my brain is on break and my creative spirit is playing hide and seek...

Sure, it's not Dawson's Creek

...but Felicity will do!

I sampled the first disk of the first season via Netflix. I would have to say that its accurately depicted college angst properly got me through the sewing the tail end of a large wholesale order...culminating with 40 dozen wipes.



Don't get me wrong, Noel can never replace Pacey, but I definitly dig Felicity , and dare I say she has the potential of rivaling Joey.

I have promptly moved up the rest of the first season to the top of my queue. Time and sewing will surely tell.

I really need to think over my schedule...

Here in our county, public schools have a special Monday schedule; teachers have inservices and students are given half the day off. When I arrived at Greggy's afternoon class line I was excited that we got there so early...after a few minutes of standing and smiling, I realized that there would be no line because his class had already started, and was in fact almost about to end.

Poor Greggy was so disappointed...he loves Kindergarten and his teacher, and with show and tell project in hand I led him back to the van (with the other 2 in tow), apologizing profusely.

While it doesn't seem much of a big deal, it was just another reminder that achieving balance doesn't necessarily mean just compartamentalizing tasks, or multitasking, or lists. It means taking care of yourself and your basic needs of food/water/sleep.

It is with that last component that I lack, really. I have placed a hard time of midnight for shutting down, but in my excitement to complete whatever task I am in, I push the envelope just a little bit. Then midnight turns to 1 am and Rafaella is up to nurse...and by the time things settle it is about 2 am.

All day I obsessed about tonight's timeline, and I am deciding to drink coffee in a few minutes, and will promptly shut off the computer at 11 pm.

There. I will be held accountable by cyberspace.

And in case you were wondering what was on the table to be finished last night:

Goodbye my sweet...*sniff*

I had to let you go. I know that I could have kept you, and I know that I can get more of you...but the fact of the matter is that you have been by my side for quite some time now. I had mini daydreams of you draping over my sweet Rafaella, or even made into something *gasp* for me...

But the time is right; it is fall and it is your prime...